Page 69 of The Ex Factor

It’s a weekend getaway, so none of the above. Keep guessing.

Sorry I have to go now. Roy is waiting on the line for me.

Am I supposed to know this Roy?

You should. He’s a senator.

Are you allowed to address a senator by his first name?

You are when he’s your buddy from college.

All right, big shot. Carry on. I guess if a senator is calling, it has to be more important than chatting with a girl you just met.

I hit send and immediately regretted it. I considered trying to unsend the message—thank you, technology—but I knew he’d already seen it. I saw the three dots and waited for his response with a thumping heart.

Right now, nothing is more important than you, sweet girl. But it is impolite to keep a senator waiting. He’s calling about a new legislation on accessible education.

That does seem more important. I’ll let you go, then. Go do some good, this shitty world needs it.

I typed, pressed the send arrow, and sighed. If anyone deserved happiness, it was Sujit. I was glad I was trying to give him a bit of it, at least.

I wasat his door exactly at five, wearing linen pants and a flowy blouse. “Are you ready?”

He lifted his holdall. “As ordered.”

“Good boy,” I said and winked.

“You aren’t kidnapping me, are you?” he teased while punching in the numeric code to lock the door.

“Maybe. How much do you think your fam will pay for you?” I replied, leading the way to the elevator bank.

“Depends on who you send the ransom note to. If you send it to my parents, they will probably head straight to the police station. If it’s my brother, he’ll try to negotiate the numbers with you. Your best bet would be Cathy. She’ll bankrupt herself to get me back.”

“She loves you that much, eh?” I asked with a crooked smile while the elevator doors opened for us.

“Yes, but you don’t want to mess with her. There’s a distinct possibility she’ll find you and ruin you after she gets me back.”

That made me laugh aloud. It reminded me of Dad, who’d probably do the exact same thing. No wonder those two were so hurt and offended for us.

“You know, when I saw you at the bar that first night, I would’ve never guessed how funny you are,” I said. “There aren’t many people who can genuinely make me laugh. And you do it with such a straight face, one wouldn’t know you’re joking.”

“I wasn’t,” he said as the elevator doors opened again and we walked out to the car waiting for us. “Cathy has the potential to do everything I just said, and more.”

When we arrived at the hangar, the private jet was ready for us. An attendant took our luggage off the driver’s hands and carried it on board.

“Wow, Devi wasn’t kidding when she said you’re an empire!” Sujit said as we climbed on. “Is this your company’s jet?”

“No, Dad’s very practical that way. He just rents when he needs one,” I said as I buckled my seat belt. “Plus, I couldn’t tell my family about this, not after that showdown with my brother.”

He raised his brows in question.

“This is all Mary Beth. I am officially taking advantage of my friendship with her,” I explained with a sly chuckle.

“Wow, I am on board Ezzie Strauss’s private jet.”

“Probably,” I said, looking around at the exquisite furnishing of the aircraft. “Well, actually, definitely his personal one. MaryBeth would make sure I whisked you away in the best way possible,” I blurted without thinking. It had been a long day.

He gifted me a wide smile.

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